Her World
by Jess.91
Summary: Andy left S.F for New York, unaware Prue was carrying his child. Now he's back ... and threatening to tip her world upside down ... PrueAndy. All 4 sisters and magic.
1. Alone

OK, just a little story that decided it wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it. Not sure where it's going, but I suppose we'll find out a some point. Sucky title, but it's all I could think of.

**Her World**

**Chapter 1 - Alone**

**Summary: **Andy left S.F for New York, unaware Prue was carrying his child. Now he's back ... and threatening to tip her world upside down ... All 4 sisters and magic. They've been witches for a while. It's not really important how long.

**Five Years Ago**

Prue climbed into the car, grabbing the sterring wheel to stead her shaking hands. Nerves were making her feel sick ... No, not just nerves, she reminded herself. Something else ... something else inside her.

She couldn't help but feel a leap of excitement at that thought. No matter what Andy said, her life was going to change forever. And she wouldn't change it.

She cast her mind back over the years, and the car began to move. She and Andy had been childhood sweethearts, but he'd left her, to go to college. It had broken her heart ... And yet, she was almost glad it had happened. Those years apart from Andy had made her realise how much she loved him. Stopped her taking him for granted. And when he'd come back, almost a month ago, she could hardly bear the joy she felt. And now ...

She was ready to tell him. Tell him she loved him, and wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. With him and their child.

But he had something to tell her to, she remembered. He had asked her to meet him, he had something important to say. Was he about to tell her he loved her?

She smiled a little, turning the steering wheel, visions of their future together dancing before her eyes. Once he knew about the baby, he'd propose, because Andy always did things properly. And they'd probably move out of the manor, which wasn't so great, but she knew he wouldn't take her far away from her sisters. And maybe in a few years to come, they'd have another child ...?

She gave herself a little shake. She was rushing ahead of herself. She didn't even know what he was going to say. He might be breaking up with her ... but he sounded so happy on the phone.

She parked the car and climbed out, travelling on foot to the spot she knew he'd be waiting in. Their spot.

He was their, sat on their swing, pushing it lazily back and forth with his foot. Slowly, he turned his head, and his face broke into a smile. No, he couldn't be breaking up with her. He'd at least have the decency to look upset.

"Hi." She smiled, sitting down next to him.

"Hi."

"So ... um ... you have something to tell me?" She asked nervously. _Me too. _She added silently.

"Yes. Listen, Prue, I'm leaving."

"Huh? What - what - what do you mean?"

"I got a job offer. In New York."

"New York?" She repeated, as realisation hit. He _was _breaking up with her.

"Yes. It's great, Prue, a great opportunity."

"So ... you've taken it?" _What about me! _She wanted to scream, but she didn't.

"Yeah. I mean, I hate that I'm leaving you ... I wish you could come -"

"Why can't I?"

"You know why. You have your sisters, your magic. I'm gonna miss you Prue -" She felt dizzy, dizzy with pain.

"But - but - I love you!" She cried, tears sliding down her face, thick and fast. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. It wasn't how she'd planned it.

He looked at her, taking in ever detail of her face. "I love you too." He breathed. "But ... I have to go." He reached up and wiped a tear away from her face. She nodded, tried to smile and failed miserably.

_The baby._

How could she tell him now? He was so excited about going, she could see that. If she told him, it would destroy his life.

Or he might not care. If he wouldn't stay for her, would he stay for their baby? She didn't know, and she didn't want to.

She wouldn't tell him. She let him go off to New York with a smile on his face, and she'd stay here and pick up the pieces.

"Don't cry, Prue." He whispered, and she nodded again, then stood up, and began to walk back to her car. He watched her go, not bothering to call after her. It would only make things worse, he was sure. He had to let her go.

She stopped the car half way home, and cried, harder and longer than she ever had. That was the last time she ever cried. That was the moment she close her heart forever.

**Present**

"Mummy?" A childish voice interrupted Prue's eyes. She put down her hairbrush, and turned to face the little girl in the doorway. "Aunt Paige told me to get you up." She said. "It's a 'mergency."

"Emergency." Prue corrected. Her daughter was five now, and it was only laziness stopping her pronouncing the word in full. "What's wrong?"

"And Piper got a phone call saying aunt Phoebe was in the hospital."

"What!" Prue jumped up, and ran to the door, picking her daughter up and carrying her down the stairs. Piper and Paige were stood at the bottom, both still in their nightclothes. "What happened?" She asked desperately.

"Calm down, it's nothing serious. Phoebe went out early, and got hit by a car."

"Hit by a car!" Prue was worried, but she couldn't help but feel relieved. Her sister had more chance of surviving a car accident than a demon attack.

"Yes, she's at the hospital -"

"I'll got pick her up." Prue said, setting her daughter down.

"Is aunt Phoebe OK?" The dark-haired girl asked, her brown eyes looking directly into Prue's blue ones. Andy's eyes, Prue noted, as she had done so many times since the birth of her little girl. It had been hard, doing everything alone, she remembered. Most of all, picking her name. Something she and Andy should have done together.

She had settled on Gina, eventually, but on nights when she couldn't sleep, she wondered if Andy would have liked it. If he'd have agreed to call her that.

"Prue?" Piper shook her from her thoughts.

"Oh, right." With that she ran out of the door, then ran back into the house, grabbed her car keys, and ran back out.

"Hi, um, I'm looking for my sister, Phoebe Halliwell." She said to the receptionist.

"One second please." She turned to the guy next to me. "What's the name again?"

"Inspector Andrew Trudeau. Homicide. Dr Gordon's expecting me." _Andrew Trudeau? It can't be._

She glanced sideways at him, and, recognising him immeadianly, turned away quickly, attempting to hide her face.

"Your sister's name?" The receptionist asked Prue.

"Phoebe." She cringing, knowing Andy could hear her, "Halliwell."

"Prue?" Yep, he'd heard her.

"Andy?" She said, feigning surprise.

"Prue! I don't believe it. How are you?"

"I'm good. How are you?" That's when the annoying little voice started. _Tell him, tell him. Tell him, tell him._

"Fine. I just can't believe I'm running into you."

"Yeah, I'm picking up Phoebe. She had some kind of accident." Prue explained, wondering how quickly she could get away.

"Is she gonna be okay?"

"Yeah, she'll be fine. Um, what are you doing here?"

"Murder investigation." He said. Not knowing what to say to that, she said nothing. _Tell him, tell him. Tell him, tell him._

The awkward silence was broken by the receptionist's return.

"Your sisters still in x-ray's so it'll be another fifteen minutes." She told Prue, then turned to Andy. "Dr. Gordon's office is to the left and down the hall. He's with a patient right now but you're free to wait outside his office.

"Thank you." Andy smiled.

"Thank you." Prue echoed.

"Well, it's good seeing you, Prue." He said, shaking her hand.

"Yeah, you too, Andy. Take care." She muttered. _I'm never going to see him again. I don't have to tell him._

"You know, Phoebe's busy, Dr Gordon's busy. Can I buy you a black cup of coffee while we wait?" He asked her.

"Sure." Prue replied, even though it was the last thing she wanted. They started walking towards the coffee machine, and she wondered if he was in town for good. "So, you're an inspector now?"

"What can I say? In any other city I'd be called detective." He smiled.

"Inspector's classier."

"Liking it better already." Prue paused, wondering what that meant.

"Your dad must be so proud." She said eventually.

"Third generation. You bet his happy. How about you? You taking the world by storm?"

"Well, I'm still living at home, working at 415 magazine, and uh ... still fighting demons." She had thought about telling him ... but how exactly could she say it? "By the way, we have a five-year-old-daughter?

"Oh."

"I thought you were in New York?" She asked him.

"I'm back." He shrugged.

"Right."

* * *

"You saw Andy!" Phoebe half-laughed as she climbed into the car. "Did you tell him?" She asked seriously. Prue shook her head.

"No, and I'm not going to. What's the point? Not like I'm going to see him again anyway."

"But I thought you said he was back in town?"

"I did. The city's big."

"Not that big."

"Please, just drop it." Prue pleaded, and, to her relief, Phoebe did.

Back to normal, right?

* * *

**Well, what do you think?**


	2. Her Secret

**Chapter 2 - Her Secret**

Andy sat in his parked car at the top of Prescott street, wondering what the hell he was doing there. He could see the big pink house from here, and he wondered how Prue would feel if he turned up on her doorstep.

_Only one way to find out._

He started the car up, and began to drive towards Halliwell Manor.

Prue opened the front door and picked up the paper, yawning a little.

"Good morning!" She looked up slowly, a feeling of dread settling in her stomach at his voice.

"Hi." She said nervously, stepping forward and kicking the door shut behind her. The last thing she needed was for him to see Gina.

She walked down the stairs and he walked towards here, holding a cup of coffee and a paper.

"This is a surprise." She said, hoping he'd take the hint. He didn't.

"I've been feeling really guilty about that bad cup of coffee. I just want to make it up to you." He smiled.

"So, you brought me a good cup of coffee?" She asked. Maybe if she humored him a little, he'd leave.

"What? No, this is mine." He smiled. "I was thinking dinner, instead."

"Oh. I ..." What could she say? She wanted to go to dinner with him, she realised, but she couldn't.

"This isn't ... ah ... a good time." She said eventually, as behind her, the manor door opened.

Andy looked behind her, to by himself some time, a way to leave without looking too disappointed.

A small, dark-haired girl walked out of the manor and skipped down the steps.

"Mummy!" She called, and Prue closed her eyes in horror.

_Mummy? She had a daughter? _Why hadn't she told him?

"Gina, go back inside." Prue said quickly and quietly.

"Hi." The girl said to Andy, ignoring her mother. "Who are you?"

"Andy. I'm a friend of ..." He looked up at Prue, and she closed her eyes again. _How could this be happening to her?_

"You have a daughter?" He asked her quietly, unsure how to feel. Of course she did. Probably even a husband. What did he think, that she'd lain around, moping, for five years? Of course not. She'd gotten over him, moved on, had a daughter.

"Yes." She sighed. No point in lying. "Gina."

"Hi, uh, Gina." He said awkwardly. Looking back up at Prue he forced a smile, then noticed something.

"No ring." He noted.

"Huh?"

"No wedding ring."

"Oh. Right." She subconsciously pulled her hand out of sight. "Uh, Gina's dad hasn't been around much." _True. And hasn't ... as in past tense. _She'd never been much of a liar, but convincing herself it was the truth helped.

"Right. Well ... I'll see you." He turned away, and she watched him go, fighting the urge to call after him. She couldn't deny it. There was still an atraction ...

But it was tough. She couldn't complicate things for Gina. Or herself. She had learned to live without her heart - Letting her head rule. Nothing had changed.

* * *

Andy shifted through the papers on his desk, his eyes scanning the page, but his brain ignoring the words. She had a daughter. 

The little girls face fought her way into his thoughts. Prue's hair. Prue's face. Prue's nose and mouth. But her eyes ... Not Prue's eyes.

Obviously, she had her father's eyes. Or maybe just from someone else in her family - Prue, Piper and Paige all had brown eyes. But something about those eyes bugged him, and he didn't know why ...

* * *

"And you didn't tell him!" Piper cried.

"No. I didn't." Prue replied. "Keep your voice down."

"Why!"

"Because I don't want Gina to know she's just met her father!" Prue hissed.

"Oh. Right. OK. But Prue, you have to tell him. Especially if he wants to take you out."

"I said no."

"So? He'll ask again, you know he will." Piper pointed out. Prue groaned, and buried her head in her hands.

"You want to, don't you." Piper said, her eyes narrowed.

"What! No! Of course not. I don't want to see him again, I don't even like him no more -"

"Yeah, who you trying to convince there Prue? Me or you?"

With another loud groan, Prue's head hit the table with a bang.

* * *

"What's wrong with you?" Andy's partner, Darryl Morris asked him finally. The two had only been partners since Andy had moved back to San Francisco almost a month ago, but they were already close friends. And Darryl could tell something was up.

"Nothing." Andy sighed. "Bumped into an old friend today, that's all."

"An old friend? Or an old girlfriend?" The fellow inspector inquired. Andy pulled a face, and stood up.

"Bathroom." He muttered. Maybe a splash of cold water on his face would help him forget about her. Passing the mirror in the hallway, and stopped, startled, as something clicked into place. He turned slowly, looking at his reflection, a frown on his face. He stared into his own eyes. The very eyes he had seen this morning ... on a small girls face.

The shock made him stumbled back. He had a daughter?

"That's ridiculous." He muttered. "She wouldn't hide that from me ... she'd tell me ..."

But something told him Prue had a very big secret ...


	3. Date With A Detective

Thanks for the response on this story, btw. And, before I get on with the story, I wanna tell you about a joined story I'm part of. It's called Charmed, The ninth season, under th e penname Cedej, and is pretty much what the title says. It's by me, emelie172, eks-89, de-anneisapurplemonkey and xPippa-Halliwellx.

And for those who don't already know, I'm also in on another joined story, The secrets of the Halliwell sisterhood, under the penname the-power-of-4. It's a teenfic, and I don't want to give much away, but you guys should check it out ...

Chapter 3 - Date With a Dectective

Andy sat back at his desk heavily, causing Darryl to give him a weird look, that he ignored. He was wrong. Obviously. He had only caught a brief glimpse of her ...

"Come on." Darryl said, jumping to his feet.

"Huh?"

"A call just came in, a woman found on the street, stabbed to death. Possibly a call-girl." Darryl explained.

Andy didn't really listen to anything Darrly said as the drove away from the station, staring blankley out of the window. "Stop!" He yelled suddenly, undoing his seatbelt and diving out of the car before it had fully stopped moving.

"What? Andy -" Without answering, Andy hurtled towards the familiar dark haired girl emerging form a shop.

"Paige!" He yelled. Startled, the youngest Halliwell dropped her bag of shopping, which he quickly picked up and gave back to her.

"Andy." She smiled. "Prue said you were in town."

"Yep. Thought I should say hi." He said nervously, smiling down at the girl he regarded as some kind of kid sister. The girl who was now almost as tall as him, and more grown-up than he'd remembered. "How've you been?" He said.

"Good. Good, I'm fine." She told him. She knew. She knew if he was the little girls father. "You?"

"Yeah, I'm great. Great to be back. I met Prue's daughter this moring - what's her name?" He felt guilty, trying to pump Paige for information, but he had to know. Besides, he could aslways apolagise later.

"Gina." Paige said, a pink flush creeping up her cheeks.

"Nice name. I bet you love being and aunt, right?" He smiled. She beamed at him.

"Yep. Gina's a great kid, we're so lucky! She's such a happy kid too, always smiling, not like Prue." She pulled a purse from her handbag, and waved it in his face. In a little window on the front of the purse, was a photo. His heart skipped a beat as he realised what it was. Smiling back at him was the girl he's met this morning, his maybe-daughter.

He gently took the purse from her, and looked at the photo it contained. Dark hair, slightly curly, flowing down her back, reminding him a little of Paige. Her face was entirly Prue, he noted - Gina was an exact copy of her mother at her age. But the eyes ... His. Definietly. The same eyes his mother had had, and that her mother had had. Now passed onto his child?

Realising he'd been staring at the picture for a little too long, he handed it back to Paige.

"I better go." He sighed, as Darryl beeped the horn behind him. "Nice seeing you Paige. Maybe I'll call round the manor one day."

"Right. See you, Andy." Paige said nervoulsy.

"Bye."

As she watched him climb into the car, then wave at her as it drove away, one thought was circlulating around her head. _Prue is going to kill me.

* * *

_

"So you think she's yours, based on her eye colour?" Darryl asked him.

"Not just the colour. She has my eyes, Darryl. My mother's eyes. My _grand_mother's eyes. Plus I have this feeling. A gut feeling, you know?"

Darryl sighed. A gut feeling was what made a good decetive, he decided, but still ...

"What you going to do?"

"I don't know. My first thought was to go storming over there, demanding to know if Gina's mine. But I'd probably just get thrown out." He smiled as he remembered the way Prue threw people out ... then his smile stretched further as an idea formed in his mind ...

* * *

"A date?" Prue repeated into the phone. "I thought I already said no." She coulldn't help but wish she hadn't - wish she'd agreed. The mere sound of his voice brought all her old feeling flooding back ... 

And they were sure hard to put away again.

"You said no to dinner. This is lunch." Andy said. She laughed, although she knew it wasn't really funny. What was it about him that made her feel this way?

"This isn't a date, Prue." He said. "Just a quick lunch with a friend. To catch up over the last few years." She paused, winding the cord around her finger.

"OK." She found herself saying. "Pick me up at one."

She put the phone down and stared at it in horror. Why had she said that? Why!

But she couldn't help but smile.

* * *

The waitress scribbled down their order, then moved away, leaving the two of them alone. Prue flashed him a smile. 

"So, how've you been?" She asked him.

Andy nodded, studying her face. How could she sit there and know she had his daughter waiting at home?

"Fine. I've been fine. You?"

She smiled again, sending a tingle down his spine. He still like her a lot, he realised. She was still the same girl he had fallen in love with all those years ago.

Or was she? The Prue he thought he knew would never have kept something this big from him.

"I think we already went through this stuff, when we met at the hospital." She said to him.

"OK, I'll try another one." He said, forcing his voice to be casual. He knew exactly how to aproach the situation. Exactly what to ask. "What've you been up to then?"

"Oh, you know. Not much. I - uh - finally became a photographer."

"Yeah, at 415, right? You mentioned it."

"Yeah. Best job I've ever had."

"I heard you got engaged a while back?"

"Who told you that?" Another easy smile spread across her face as she realised. "Your mother, right?"

"Yep." His smile was genuine this time. "She called me, nearly crying, saying you were marrying someone. Kept telling me to move back home and get you back."

"So why didn't you?" She asked him quietly. Quickly, she lowered her eyes. She didn't blush though. She never had.

"I probably should have." He shrugged. "But I knew to marry the guy you must have loved him, and I didn't want to spoil that." Prue considered his answer, then shook her head.

"I didn't love him." She said. "I just felt safe with him, secure. And I suppose he made me happier than I had been for a while. But that wasn't enough. We never made it down the isle, thank god."

"Is he Gina's father?" He asked her casually, watching as her smile vanished, and her eyes immediatly sought out the table.

"No. She was born before he and I got together." She mumbled.

"Oh. So, who is her father?" He asked, hoping he sounded merely curious.

"Just a guy. A - a fling."

"Does he see her?"

"No. She - she doesn't know who he is." Prue mumbled again.

"Does he pay anything towards -"

"No! The guy isn't around, he doesn't care about either of us, and he never did, never loved me, OK?" She jumped to her feet, but her voice stayed quiet. She had never been one to make a scene - and she wouldn't start now.

"Is that what you think? That I never loved you?" He asked her.

"Yes, that's what I think! You just swanned off to New York without looking back! You -" She stopped, looked at him. "But ... we're not talking about you." She said quickly.

"Nice try." He said to her. "Explain."

Prue picked her cuticles, avoiding looking at him.

"Prue?"

"You left me, not the other way round." She told him.

"Yeah, but you could've called."

"Andy, you got your dream job, you were so happy ... I couldn't spoil that!"

He looked at her, realised she meant it. She had the right intentions ...

"You still should have told me." He said to her.

"I know. I did what I thought was best." She told him. "I didn't want to ruin your life. I knew you'd end up resenting me and Gina."

"No, I wouldn't have." He said. "I'd have loved you and I'd have loved her. Come on." He rose to his feet.

"Wha -? Where -?"

"I want to meet my daughter." He said simply.

"No!" She cried. "No. Andy, I will not have you in and out of her life like that. What if you decide to leave again?"

"I wont."

"You might. You might get married, and move away, and there where will she be? She is happy, she knows she doesn't need a father -"

"Prue -"

"No. I forbid you to come near any of my family again." She said steely. "How dare you come back after all these years and act like you have some kind of rights over her? You have nothing. You left us -"

"You never told me about her!"

"You chose to leave. You didn't love me, and you don't know her. Goodbye, Andy."


	4. His Mistake

Chapter 4 - His Mistake

He watched her leave, knowing that following her would be a mistake. He didn't want to be thrown across the car park. Why was she so mad with him? She had kept their daughter secret. Not him.

_How dare he! _Prue raged as she drove home. How dare he assume he could be apart of Gina's life after all this time? So she should have told him. Then what? They'd probably be stuck in a loveless marriage, him resenting her and Gina, and Gina ...

Gina didn't deserve any of that.

"Hiya, honey." Prue said absently when she walked back in. Did Gina need a father? Did Andy need a daughter?

Did she need Andy?

_No. _She thought firmly. But somehow she didn't believe it.

"Hiya." Gina said brightly, her usual sunny nature making Prue smile as always. Her daughter could cheer her up with just one word.

"Well?" Phoebe's voice dragged her from her thoughts.

"What?"

"You're date. With Andy." A scowl passed across Prue's face. "That bad?"

"Worse. He knew. About Gina. He must have figured it out." Prue buried her head in her hands.

"What did he say?" Phoebe gasped.

"Told me explain. Then when I did, he tried to get me to let him come here, and see her." Prue replied flatly. "Obviously, I said no."

"Uh ... are you sure that was the right thing to say?" Phoebe asked. "I mean - I remember how hard it was for us not growing up with a dad, and ..."

"Difference is, all we had was Grams." Prue said soberly. "Gina has me, and you, and Piper and Paige, and Leo."

"I guess." Phoebe replied doubtfully. But she couldn't help it. She knew that Gina needed to know her daddy.

Andy let himself into his apartment, still struggling to remember the day he'd left San Francisco. Had she even hinted she was pregnant?

Well, she had cried. Prue rarely cried. He'd known then that she loved him - and that he loved her. But then she'd gone, she'd left. And he'd let her. Because he had to know what else was out there, what the rest of the world was like.

He'd call her, explain.

He listened to the steady _ring ring _for a few seconds, before the phone clicked onto answer phone.

"Prue, it's me. Call me. Or answer the phone." He waited several seconds, knowing she'd be stood looking at the answer phone, listening to his voice. He could almost imagine her ...

"We need to talk." He added. Still, she didn't answer. He sighed, replaced the receiver and sat on his sofa. Why hadn't he called her before? Before he left, or just after he left? Why hadn't he ever called by, when he'd come down to visit his parents? He'd have seen her, seen her bump, and the whole story would have come out. Or he'd have seen Gina ...

But because he couldn't face her, he'd missed out on the first five years of his daughters life. The biggest mistake he'd ever made. If only he'd had the guts to tell her how much he'd loved her ...

"That's it, I'm going over there." He decided aloud, standing up and walking towards the door. If she threw him out, lesson learned. If she let him stay, talk and meet his daughter ...

Well, a guy could hope.

He'd never had any special way of knocking, but she knew it was him. She'd known after he'd called that his next move would be to come over. And she was prepared.

"Take Gina upstairs and stay up there." She told Phoebe. "I mean it." Her sister sighed and nodded, taking the girl and going up the stairs, as Prue advanced to the door. She flung it open wide, trying to show him she wasn't threatened by him at all.

"We need to talk." He said soberly.

"Hi to you too." She replied coldly.

"Prue, I'm not playing games. We need to talk." He took a step forward. "Is she here?"

"No." She lied. "Phoebe took her out." It was almost the truth. Almost.

"Really?" He didn't sound like he believed her, but it was the only answer he was going to get.

"No." She stepped aside reluctantly to let him in, and walked into the living room. While he sat on the sofa, she perched on the chair arm.

"So?" She prompted.

"Why didn't you ever call?" He asked eventually. "Let me know?"

"I tried." She admitted. "Just after Gina was born, I called you a couple of times."

"You did?"

"Yeah - sometimes it clicked onto machine, sometimes I hung up after a couple of rings, and once or twice you answered ... and I freaked and hung up."

"I thought I just had a stalker." He laughed.

"Well ..."

"OK, so how come you stopped?"

"I ... The longer I left it, the harder it got. I mean, calling you and saying I was pregnant, or that I'd just had a baby wasn't so bad. Calling you and saying we had a two-month old was worse, but still, survivable. But calling and saying you had a six-month-old daughter? Or a one-year-old?" She shrugged. "I just thought it better ..."

"If you stayed away." He finished.

She nodded.

"I know how that feels." He added, half to himself.

"What?"

"Oh, uh ..." He felt heat rise in his cheeks. "I was going to call you or visit ... but I thought it would be awkward ... or that you'd throw me out." He added, which made her smile. "My mistake." He added.

She nodded vaguely.

"Did you love me?" He blurted suddenly. He had to know ...

She paused, for a long time she was silent, picking her cuticles. "Yes." She said eventually. "I did."

"Oh." He shouldn't have asked ... now he would dwell on what could have been ... what could have happened if he'd stayed.

She didn't ask if he'd loved her - she already knew the answer. If he had he wouldn't have left, would he?

"I guess ... we both made some wrong decisions." He said finally.

"I guess."

"Can I please meet her?" He asked. "She doesn't have to know who I am. I just ... I want to see her, talk to her."

She felt herself weaken. Gina was his daughter ...

"Five minutes." She said, trying to keep her voice cold and detached. Keeping her emotions under wrap with Andy was essential ... She couldn't fall apart. "That's all."

"OK." He nodded, a huge smile spreading across his face.

"Pheebs! Send Gina down!" Prue yelled up the stairs, and he shook his head a little. Of course she had been lying. He'd pretty much known.

The dark-haired girl bounded down the stairs a few seconds later. He took a moment to study her - smiling as he saw her eyes. The eyes that had lead him here ...

"Hi." She said brightly. "I 'member you." She added proudly.

"Hi." He replied. "She looks just like you." He remarked.

"I know." She replied. "But she .. uh ..." She dropped her voice to a whisper that sent a shiver down his spine. "She has your eyes."

"Yeah, I noticed." He told her. "Hi there, Gina." He didn't know what else to say - but the little girl made it easy for him, taking his hand and dragging him over to a dolls house in the corner. He vaguely remembered playing with it with Prue and her sisters when they were younger. Gina took out several small characters, and chattered breezily about each one as she seated them around the house.

Prue watched them, wondering what it would have been like if she'd told Andy that day. If only he'd loved her too ...


	5. Not Meant To Be?

Chapter 5 - Not Meant To Be?

She walked him to the door, still wondering how it could have been, unaware he was doing the same.

"Well, thanks." He said finally.

"What for?"

"For letting me meet her. For doing a great job raising her. For showing her so much love ... when I wasn't here to do it." She bit her lip, picking her cuticles rapidly again.

After the door closed behind him, she leaned against it, unsure what to think. He'd thanked her for raising Gina, for loving Gina ... but at first, she hadn't wanted anything to do with the kid.

* * *

Andy sat back on the battered old sofa in his living room. He still couldn't stop thinking about what could have happened - and why it hadn't. He remembered something Prue always used to say: Everything happens for a reason. She'd said it countless times over the years, and now he was starting to understand it.

Destiny. That was another thing Prue said a lot.

_Being a witch is my destiny._

_Going to college is ... your destiny._

_Grams dying ... just a part of destiny. Everything happens for a reason._

So maybe ... him and Prue ... they just weren't meant to be?

If only he could make himself believe it.

* * *

"Don't you ever wonder what it would have been like if he'd stayed?" Paige asked. Prue gave half-a-shrug.

"He'd have probably proposed, and the three of us would be in some crowded apartment, him resenting us because he hasn't got a decent job like he wanted to ..." Prue paused, a heavy feeling in her chest. "But it's better this way. He never loved me ... it just wasn't meant to be."

Prue walked away, and Paige stood watching her.

"You believe any of that?" Phoebe asked, joining the youngest sister.

"Nope. You?"

"No. Did you see the way he was looking at her yesturday?"

"No, because I, unlike some people, was not spying on our eldest sister." Paige replied.

"But if you'd been in the house -"

"I would have been." Paige finished breezily. "So do you think he loved her?"

"I think he still does." Phoebe replied.

"You think Prue's ever gonna see that?"

"Not without a little help ..."

"Of course. So ... what's the plan?"

Prue walked into the attic, and picked up the scrying crystal and map. Maybe a good old demon battle would take her mind off of Andy ...

* * *

Decidedly, Andy put the phone back down. Calling her wouldn't help, he decided. What exactly would he say? Awkward silences weren't his idea of fun. Turning away from the counter, he gasped as he took in the sight before him. A man wearing brown rags with black beady eyes was staring at him from across the room. A slight greenish tint on the man's face certified to Andy that this "man" was in fact a demon. He'd never actually seen one, but he'd seen pictures of them in the book of shadows - and he knew this was the kind of evil Prue fought.

"Can I help you?" Andy said, his hand inching towards to phone. If he could call Prue ... He didn't even try to kid himself he could handle this being. His macho instincts didn't stretch that far - This was the sisters' department.

"Yes, I believe you can." The demon replied. "I believe you can help me get to the charmed ones."

Andy's hand slid off of the counter. This thing wanted Prue and her sisters?

Well, he wouldn't lead him to them. Even if ...

"I believe you're wrong." Andy said cooly.

A ball of fire formed on the demon's hand. Andy gulped, his heart beating rapidly. He was about to die, he knew it ...

* * *

Back in the attic, Prue swung the crystal over the map again. Why was it that evil was never around when you wanted it?

"Come on, come on ... someone must need me ... Yes!" She let go of the crystal as she felt a sharp tug, and watched as it dropped heavily onto the map. Leaning forward, she read the address. Then read it again, as she realised why it was sop familiar.

_It can't be ..._

"Piper, Phoebe, Paige! There's a demon at Andy's!" She yelled, unable to keep the fear from her voice.


	6. Saving Each Other

Chapter 6 - Saving Each Other

"What?" Piper was the first to speak when the younger sisters made it to the attic.

"Demon - at Andy's!" Prue gasped, grabbing several potions from the side. She wasn't sure what half of them were - She wasn't sure what demon was at Andy's. But she knew she had to save him ... she _had _to ...

"What? Why?" Phoebe gasped.

"I don't know - but we have to save him. Leo!"

As her whitelighter and brother-in-law orbed in, Prue grabbed Paige's hand.

"Gina's in her room, watch her." She commanded to Leo, who nodded in confusion - babysitting was something he was called on to do often

"Orb, orb." Prue added to Paige, as the whitelights surrounded the four of them.

* * *

Andy felt his heart skip another beat as the demon played with the fireball. He felt sure this would be the day he died, and he hated the fact he was leaving his daughter behind, before he even knew her. And ... Leaving Prue ... 

At that second, she appeared, flanked by her sisters, in a cloud of bright lights. He knew Paige had orbed them - he'd experienced her power first-hand when he was nineteen, and it wasn't an experience he wanted to repeat anytime soon.

_What are they doing here?_

Before he had time to think of anything else, Prue had sent the demon flying across the room. He saw Piper try to blow it up, but the demon remained in one piece.

"Please tell me you have a spell?" He heard Phoebe say, as he dived to the floor to avoid a fireball.

"No - there wasn't time - Andy!" He heard Prue yell. He raised his head, then ducked again as another fireball was sent his way. He didn't have a great knowledge of magic - but he knew this wasn't good.

Prue felt her heart beating faster and faster, as the demon threw continued fireballs at the sofa Andy was hiding behind. Why was it so determined to kill Andy?

She sent it flying across the room again as Piper urged Phoebe to make up a spell.

"Andy?" She asked again. If he died ... the demon was only here because of her, she knew it, and if Andy died because of her ...

Next thing she knew, she was on the floor, Andy's arms around her.

"Wh-?"

It was only as she saw the fireball strike the wall where she had been seconds before that she realised - Andy had saved her. He'd pushed her out of the way of a fireball.

"You OK?" He asked her. She didn't bother answering, she just jumped up. She didn't like the way his arms around her felt - or rather, she liked it too much. But getting close to Andy - to anyone - just meant getting hurt.

And she couldn't go through that again.

"Hear these words, heard the rhyme, we vanquish you threw space and time." Phoebe and Piper chanted. They repeated, with Paige joining in, and Prue jumped in after a few words. After repeating it again, then demon burst into flames.

Andy watched as ever trace of the being vanished, other than a scorch burn on the floor, one on the wall - and several on his sofa.

"Bet your insurance policy doesn't cover demon attacks." Piper joked, looking at the sofa.

"Nope, I don't think so." He said ruefully.

"Well, nothing we can do about it, sorry." Paige smiled.

"Thanks, anyway." He said.

"Thank Prue here." Phoebe said quickly. "She was the one who found out the demon was here."

"Thanks." He said, looking right at her.

"You too." She muttered. "For, you know ..." She gestured to the wall.

"Yeah, uh, how do I get rid of that?" He asked.

"I'll show you." Piper said, walking towards his kitchen area. Catching Phoebe's eye, she gave a little sigh. "Actually, I've gotta get back to Leo."

"And I'm her ride home." Paige added, as Piper and Paige moved close to her.

"And I have to study." Paige added. "But Prue'll help you. Don't worry, I'll watch Gina!" She added, as the three of them orbed out, leaving Prue and Andy alone.

"Sisters, huh?" Andy said with a grin. Prue offered him a small, awkward smile, then walked towards the kitchen area. Andy followed her uncertainly. Somehow, all he could think was "What next?"

Almost half-an-hour later, after scrubbing the wall and floor with a mixture of several different cleaning products, and stood by Prue's side as she recited a spell.

"Let the object of objection become but a dream, as I cause the scene to be unseen." She muttered, then as the sofa magically repaired itself, shot Andy a look. "Personal gain." She told him. "I could get into trouble for that."

"I never asked you too!"

"You didn't have to." She replied cooly, looking at him as though the whole thing was his fault. He looked at her bewildered, unsure what to say. Sometimes, Prue was like a stranger to him.

She wondered around the apartment, obviously unsure what to do or say as well. Finally, she stopped, looking at picture on a nearby dresser. Of her and Andy.

"Why ... ?" She picked it up, looking at it intently. She remembered that day, almost six years ago ... they'd gone to the park, with her sisters. He'd made her feel like a kid again, chasing her through the piles of autumn leaves, laughing as she tried to hide around trees, and - the moment when the photo had been taken - giving her piggy back rides around the park. There she was, perched on his back a little younger, a little fresher ... a lot happier, her face and eyes alight, her mouth stretched into a full smile, which was mirrored in his face. They'd been so happy, and so, she was sure, in love.

Where had it all gone wrong?

"It's a great picture." He remarked.

"Yeah. It ... it was a great day." She replied, placing it back on the shelf.

"Yes, it was." He murmured.

She was still silently staring at his face in the picture, his smile, his eyes. If she didn't know any better, she'd think ...

"Did you love me?" She asked finally, swinging round to look at him.

For a long time, he stared at her, and just as she was about to run for the door, he finally spoke.

"Yes."


	7. All In The Past?

Chapter 7 - All In The Past

She still wasn't quite sure how it had happened. The'y just looked at each other for so long and then he'd grabbed her. And now ...

Silently, she slid out of Andy's arms, gathering her scattered clothes and pulling them on. It had been almost three hours since her sisters had left - They'd know what had gone on.

"Damn." She muttered, glancing back at Andy, who was starting to stir. "Uh-oh."

She wasn't in the mood to talk to him - she should never have let him get that close. Andrew Truduea simply caused her pain. And yet ...

That photo had reminded her of the happier times, when things weren't complicated. And somehow ... it had given her a sense of hope.

She just didn't know what for.

He stirred again and she bolted for the front door, pulling it shut behind her as she heard him cry out her name.

But what else could she do?

She'd hoped to be able to slip into the manor quietly, but of course she couldn't.

She was barely through the door when Phoebe and Paige jumped out at her, talking loudly and quickly, Piper stood behind them smiling slyly. Prue rubbed her head, closing her eyes for a moment. Something told her this was going to take a while.

"So where do you go from here?" Phoebe asked brightly. Prue knew Phoebe was already mentaly picking a bridesmaid dress - and the thought terrified her.

"We go no where." Prue replied. "Andy and me ... We're all in the past."

"What? But - but -"

"No, you're not." Piper told her. "You have Gina - she's your present. Both of yours'."

"I know. And I can't complicate things for her." Prue replied.

"Fine." Paige said. "Phoebe - we need to go ... do that thing. You know."

"Oh! Right. Yeah, OK, come on." As the younger sisters ran from the room, Prue looked at Piper.

"What are they -"

"Don't ask me." Piper shrugged, smiling.

"Piper -"

"Sorry. Not telling." She smiled slyly at Prue, then walked away. Rolling her eyes, Prue decided to go talk to the one person she could get any sense out of - Gina.

"Hiya honey." She said brightly.

"Hi mummy." Gina replied, then turned back to the T.V where several colourful characters were dancing around.

_"Prue, just hold her, OK?"_

_"No. Piper, I can't. Why can't you understand that?" _

_"Prue, she is your daughter!" Phoebe said angrily. "You have to face her -"_

_"I can't, OK? When I look at her I see him, and ..."_

_"We know he hurt you, Prue. But she's innocnet." Paige said softly. "She's just an innocent baby, and she needs you. You can't walk away from that."_

Thankfully, the post-natal depression had passed not long after that - thanks to a very understanding doctor and three pushy sisters, Prue got over it, and since then ... She's tried her hardest to make up to Gina those few months.

And that's why she couldn't get involved with Andy again. Because ... She wasn't sure she was over it, over him. She wasn't sure she'd ever stopped ...

But mostly, or at least, that's what she tried to tell herself, mostly because him leaving had hurt her so much that at first, she hadn't loved Gina. She couldn't risk it again.

Even if all she wanted to do was call him.

* * *

Andy sighed as he stepped into the living room, his hair still wet from the shower, and his head still filled with thoughts of Prue. He had to call her. Had to.

He listened to the steady ring, wondering if she'd just let it go to machine again. To his surprise, it was answered on the third ring.

"Hello?" A familiar female voice said - but it wasn't Prue's.

"Piper?"

"Andy?"

"Yeah!" He said brightly. He hadn't had a real chance to talk to Piper - or Phoebe - yet. "How are you? I heard you got married?"

"Yep." She said to him. "To Leo - He's a whitelighter."

"Congratulations."

"Yeah, I have invited you to the wedding but, well, you know ..."

"Is she there? Prue?" He asked.

"Yeah ... But I'm not sure she'll talk to you." Piper admitted. "I - uh - get the feeling she doesn't think there's anything between you guys."

"Oh." He murmured. That wasn't good. He was starting to think maybe ... maybe the thing between them had never left ...

"But - Ah - if I were you, Andy, I wouldn't give up. Because I think ..." Piper trailed off, and he felt a leap of hope. It was only a guess, but if she was saying what he thought she was ...

Prue still loved him?

"Just ... Keep trying, OK?" Piper said finally.

"OK. Bye." He murmured.

"See you, Andy."

So maybe things between them weren't all in the past, after all?


	8. On The Edge

Chapter 8 - On The Edge

Prue reluctantly laid the menu back on the table - now they had ordered, there was no need to hold it in front of her face. _Damn. _

"So ... Uh ..." Andy trailed off, his mind blank.

"You never were good at small talk." Prue told him. _Why did I agree to this?_

To be fair, she hadn't agreed so much as been forced - Piper, Phoebe and Paige had pretty much pushed her out of the door, after arranging this "date" behind her back.

"No. I wasn't. Um ... How's Gina?" He asked her.

"She's fine. Her teacher says she's having a few problems with numbers, but she's doing OK."

"Right. Um ..."

"Why don't you just get to the point?" She asked him finally.

"What?"

"You obviously have something to say. Otherwise you wouldn't be here." She told him. "So just say it."

"Prue, I ... I don't. I just ... wanted dinner. With you." He cringed. "I mean - I ..."

"Why, though?" She asked him. He looked at her, clearly wrong-footed. "I mean, you didn't just think 'I'll have dinner with Prue tonight.' There must be a reason." She wasn't entirely sure what she was saying - but she liked watching him squirm. Always had.

"I ... I ... Want to know what's going on with us." He stammered finally.

"Us? I didn't know there was an us."

"Exactly. I think there should be."

She stared at him. That wasn't the answer she was expecting. Great, now Andy could watch her squirm.

He looked at her, her eyes flickering nervously. He'd put her on the spot, he knew, and he felt guilty. This wasn't how he'd wanted it.

"Wh - what exactly are you saying?" She stammered.

"Just ... Let's see if we can get through tonight, without arguing or storming out." He smiled.

"Agreed." She found herself smiling back at him, and ... was that _butterflies _in her _stomach?

* * *

_

Her laugh rang across the porch, as they approached the front door.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously." Andy laughed. "So ... did you have a good time, tonight?" He added quietly.

"I had a great time." She replied softly. "Thanks."

"For what?"

"Dragging me out into the real world." She smiled. "For ... coming back into my life." She added, even quieter.

"You're welcome." He replied, barely audible.

He leaned forward, and without realising it, she jumped away from him.

"Night." She said quickly, then ducked through the door, leaving him stood on the porch. He sighed, and turned back to the car.

He'd figure her out one day, he really would.

Prue stepped into the manor ... and chaos. By the stairs, Piper was struggling to her feet, blood trickling down her face. In the parlour, she could see Phoebe in mid-air, raining a series of punches and kicks onto something she couldn't see, as Paige, groaning, raised her head slowly. Phoebe let out a scream as she was thrown across the room, landing two or three feet from Piper.

Prue had stepped into the middle of a demon attack.

The demon stepped into her view, finally, wearing torn leather, a strangely twisted face, and emitting a sent that made her want to puke.

Next thing she knew, she was being thrown through the air, a strangled cry passing her own lips.

_Crash._ She saw Andy burst through the manor door. "No!" She yelled - Then felt herself hit something hard. And everything went black.

"Prue ... Prue ... Prue, can you hear me?" She was aware of someone slapping her face, gently at first, but gradually harder. She started to open her eyes, but found it hurt too much.

"Prue? Prue? Leo -" Then she heard nothing else, as her world collapsed into a haze of pain and darkness.

"Why isn't she waking up?" Andy asked. "What's going on? Piper?"

"It's OK." Piper assured him. "Leo's -"

"Watch out!" Paige cried - The demon which Piper had frozen by the door had unfrozen, and some kind of hole was appearing in the floor. Piper pushed Paige into the parlour, Leo grabbed Phoebe and swung her onto the stairs. Andy tried to pull Prue away, but the hole was too big and too powerful - before he knew what was happening, both him and Prue were falling ...

The hole closed, and the demon shimmered out.

"Uh-oh." Phoebe muttered.

* * *

Prue opened her eyes, found herself in the attic. 

"Wh -?"

"I don't know." Andy muttered. "We got sucked into some kind of hole."

"We? All of us?" She looked around wildly for her sisters or Leo. But the attic was empty.

"No." Andy told her. "Just me and you."

Prue closed her eyes, hoped she was just dreaming ...

But when she opened them again, nothing had changed.

"Great."

"How do we get home?" Andy asked her.

"I ... I don't know. My sisters'll probably have to vanquish the demon."

"What do we do until then?" His words were almost drowned out by a large crash from downstairs.

"We explore." Prue hissed.

The two of them walked slowly down the stairs, listening for more sounds. Childish voices, she noted. Weird.

"Hello?" She said in surprise as she saw the two kids in the hallway, a boy and a girl, looking down at a heap of glass.

"Mum!" The girl cried, spinning round to face her. A very familiar person, even if she did look older.

"Gina?" She gasped.

"It wasn't me, mum. It was him!" Gina pointed to the boy stood next to her, who began shaking his head rapidly.

"It wasn't, mum, it wasn't!"

"Mum?" Prue repeated. "What the ..."

"It wasn't. Daddy, honest, it wasn't!" The boy added, looking at Andy.

"Daddy?" Prue said, looking right at Andy, who was doing his best to hide the smile on his face.

"Don't look at me. I didn't create this ... world?"

"Neither did I!" Prue said defensively. Andy held up his hands.

"I wasn't accusing you!"

"Mummy? Why are you shouting at Daddy?" The little boy asked. Next to him, Gina nodded, looking upset. Prue knew her daughter hated arguments - but ... This wasn't her daughter - was it?

"Listen, I think maybe you're confused or something." Prue said, kneeling in front of him. "'Cause I'm not your mum, and he's certainly not your dad."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Andy asked. She shot him a look.

"Don't be silly, mummy." Gina said. "Of course you're our mum and dad."

Prue sighed and stood up.

"Piper? Phoebe? Paige!" She yelled. "Hello? Leo? Anybody?" She turned back to Andy, who was talking quietly to Gina and the boy, smiling in her direction every now and then. "This is hopeless." She muttered.


	9. Far Apart

Chapter 9 - Far Apart

"...So basically, they're trapped in a world made of their own desires." Phoebe finished, looking up. "The only way to get them out is to vanquish the demon."

"How?" Piper asked, her hand poised, ready to re-freeze the demon when it unfroze again.

"A potion. Looks pretty simple." Phoebe replied.

"Right. You and Paige do that. We'll guard the demon-cube." Piper replied.

* * *

"There's nothing we can do." Prue sighed.

"So we sit, we wait, and we talk."

"To them?" She said, looking towards the ceiling - The kids had ran up the stairs a minute or two ago.

"No. We need to talk, Prue."

"Right." She sighed, waiting for him to start. But he didn't. He looked at her for way too long.

"I never stopped loving you." He whispered suddenly. She stared at him, speechless. He never stopped ...? But ...?

And before she knew it, his mouth was on hers.

* * *

"Ready?" Paige said, raising the vial. "OK ... Now!" As Piper twirled her hand and unfroze the demon, Paige threw the potion. As the demon disappeared, Prue and Andy reappeared, in a very ... compromising position.

Grinning slightly, Piper cleared her throat loudly, and tried not to laugh as Prue and Andy sprang apart like they were on fire.

"Hi." Paige smiled.

"You did it!" Prue said quickly, glancing awkwardly at Andy.

"Yep." Piper smirked.

"OK, well Andy I'll see you out." She continued, and practically ran from the attic.

"Thanks." Andy said. "See you."

"Bye, Andy," they chorused, as he followed Prue.

"What are you so embarrassed about?" He asked, when he caught up with her near the front door.

"Easy for you to say. You don't have to go back and tell them what happened. Even when you're not sure yourself." She sighed.

He laughed. "I'll stay if you want -"

"No, no, it's OK. I'll call you." She replied, opening the front door for him.

"OK, I get the hint. I'll see you later."

"Right. Bye."

The door was barely shut when she heard Phoebe voice.

"So ... what exactly happened?"

"We ended up in some kind of parallel world." She said flatly. "We were in the manor. Then we were back."

She left out the kids and the kissing - she really couldn't face the questions. But the questions came anyway.

"What and Andy just fell on you?" Piper asked.

"_No._ I don't want to talk about it." And with that, she walked away.

* * *

"Uh ... Prue?" Andy's voice said a day later.

"Yeah?" She replied, trying to juggle the phone and the packet of biscuits while Gina waited patently for a cookie.

"Can I come over?"

"Now?"

"It's important. We need to talk."

"About us?" She asked, a smile on her face as she remembered the last time they'd tried to talk.

"No. About me." He replied, his tone serious.

"What? Why? Are you OK?" She said quickly, the biscuits crashing to the floor.

"Yes, I'm ... fine." He muttered. "I'll be there in five."

She was waiting anxiously by the open front door when he finally appeared.

"Well? What is it, what's wrong?" She said quickly.

"Hey, hey. Calm down. Come on." He lead her into her own living room, and motioned for her to sit on the sofa. Then he perched himself on the edge of the coffee table.

"Stop picking." He said, pulling her hands apart as she realised she'd been picking her cuticles away.

"Andy, just tell me what's going on." She said, the million possibilities she'd thought of running through her head again.

"Prue ... I ... I've been offered another job." He said quietly.

"What?" She snapped. He couldn't mean ... he couldn't be ...

"In Chicago." He added. "In three months." And right then she felt all the defences he'd broken through crash around her.

"And you've taken it?"

"Not ... Not yet. I wanted to know ... how you'd feel if I left." He said awkwardly.

"How good is the job?" She found herself asking. Wow, the whole auto-pilot thing was annoying.

"It's the same as I do now, but with better pay. Maybe even less work." He said.

"So it's a better job." She stated.

"Yes. But I'll stay here if you want me to."

"No."

"No?" He repeated. "You don't want me to stay?"

"I think you should take it. And ... we can stop doing what we are doing."

"Which is?" He said, his eyes narrowed.

"Trying to recapture the past. We had some great times, but we've both grown up and moved on." She said.

He looked at her for a long time, his eyes narrow, his entire face hostile.

"Fine. Then we'll end it right now. Goodbye, Prue."

Seconds after he slammed the door, Prue burst into the first tears she'd cried since the last time he'd left her life.

Because she'd never stopped loving him.

And she probably never would.


	10. History Repeated

Chapter 10 - History Repeated

Staring at the calendar, Prue felt dread settle in, somewhere near her stomach. And it didn't have anything to do with the picture of kittens with scarily big round eyes.

Nope. This was about the date.

No way. She didn't need this, not now. Please, no ...

"Has he called?" Were Phoebe's first words as she walked through the door.

"No. How was shopping?" Prue said, her eyes rolling over the million or so bags hanging from Phoebe, Piper and Paige's hands and arms.

"Prue, maybe you should talk to him." Piper said.

"No. It's been two weeks. If he wanted to talk -"

"Prue, you need to talk to him. We are all sick of you moping around the house." Paige stated.

"I don't mope! I'm not even bothered he's leaving." Okay, that was just plain lying, and she knew it.

"There's nothing between Andy and I. It's over." More lying. Then she did what she'd done often over the last two weeks - she turned and walked away. She couldn't face it. That he was leaving. That he wasn't bothered about leaving her and Gina. That she still loved him.

And that ...

She reached the kitchen, and instead of heading the coffee pot as planned, walked towards the back door. There was one thing she _had _to face - weather she wanted to or not.

Sitting in the car outside the pharmacist's, she felt a familiar feeling of fear wash over her. Strange, that the same guy had caused this twice. With a sigh, she reached for the car door. She glanced left and right before taking a deep breath and walking into the pharmacist's; she didn't want anyone to see her. That's why she'd driven further than she needed to, where hopefully she wouldn't run into anyone.

Wrong.

"Prue!" An old school friend - what was her name? - was stood by the counter. "Prue!" She screeched again. "How _are _you!"

Cringing with embarrassment, Prue nodded.

"I'm great - uh -"

"That's fantastic! Me too!"

"Um ... OK ..."

"Well, I have to go, Prue! Nice seeing you again!"

"You too, uh, Carla." Prue muttered, relief passing over her face. She was leaving ... Prue wouldn't have to turn and drive even further ...

"Kylie." She corrected Prue, a frown forming on her face, as she finally walked through the door.

Walking quickly to the shelf, Prue pulled down three pregnancy tests - she wanted to be sure. Everything pointed in this direction - but she hoped she was wrong. Adding a bottle of aspirin she would no doubt need, she walked towards the counter, her head still down.

"Thanks." She muttered, taking the bag and her change, then fought the urge to run.

The urge took over as she walked into the manor though, and she ran up the stairs and into the bathroom. Taking deep breaths, she perched on the edge of the bath, reading the instructions through.

And hoping and praying she was wrong.

* * *

Andy sighed as he looked at the phone again, willing it to ring. But he knew it wouldn't. And he knew he should ring Prue. But ...

He couldn't.

_Ring, ring. Ring, ring._

"Hello? Prue?" He cried desperately. But the voice that replied wasn't hers.

The double-glazing salesman was very annoyed when Andy slammed the phone down.

* * *

"OK, OK." Prue muttered a few minutes later, as she lifted the test up. "Pink line means ..." She checked the instructions nervously - the words she'd read a minute ago seemed new to her.

"Oh, no." She whispered. "Oh no ... Positive."

History was repeating itself.

Once she could put down to fate. But this time ...

Fate was determined to screw her over.

* * *

**Wow, that's short. But I have to stop there, cos next comes a time leap ...**


	11. Once Again

**Here we go, the last chapter of Her World ...**

**Chapter 11 - Once Again**

**Two and a Half Months Later**

Andy looked around him nervously. Most of his stuff was in boxes and bags - he had a week to go before leaving San Francisco behind. And Prue.

But he wouldn't make the same mistake as last time. Sure, she'd acted like she didn't care ... but he loved her too much to just leave without trying. He'd sworn to himself he'd go see her before he left ...

And now was a good a time as any.

* * *

"Uh." Prue muttered, heaving the bags onto the worktop.

"Why did we have to by all this now again?" She asked.

"Come on, Prue. You always like to be prepared, right?" Phoebe smiled, putting another few bags of baby stuff on the counter too. "Besides, all this baby stuff was so _cute_!"

"Right." Prue sighed. "But we have a whole five months before the baby'll be here." She pointed out.

"So? Hey, have you started thinking of names? I wonder if it'll be a boy or a girl ..."

"No idea." Prue lied, the image of a little boy forcing it's way, once again, into her thoughts. "And no, I haven't started thinking of names."

"Maybe you should. How about -"

_Ding-dong._

"Saved by the bell. I'll get it!" She smiled., bounding out of the kitchen. Anything to get away from Phoebe and her baby-fever.

Andy pressed the bell nervously, knowing than if he knocked, she'd know it was him. She always had - and vice versa.

_A connection._

The door seemed to take forever to open ... slowly ... slowly ...

Her eyes widened and a little gasp escaped her mouth.

"Andy?" She whispered.

"Hi. Can we talk?" He said brightly.

"Um ... this isn't a good time." She was already showing, and the top she was wearing didn't even attempt to hide it. This was bad.

"Well ... when is?" He asked disappointedly.

"Um ..." She'd have liked to say "five months" but she felt he'd be really suspicious then. She'd just have to face the music.

Slowly, she opened the door a little wider, then a little more. Another inch and ...

It was his turn to gasp.

"You - you're -"

She nodded.

"Who - who's the -"

"You." She whispered, her mouth suddenly dry, her heart beating so hard it hurt, so loud she was sure Andy could hear it.

"Me?" He repeated, his mind whirring. "Again? But ... And you didn't think to tell me this?" He snapped, suddenly angry. "Once again, Prue, you've kept the fact that I'm a dad from me. Why? What kind of kick do you get out this!"

"I didn't think you'd want to know! You want your high-paid job. Not me and two kids." She told him, as loudly as he'd spoke to her, as she backed away a little. She'd never seen him angry. Of course, she knew he wouldn't hurt her ... the door, maybe, but he'd never hurt her.

"Prue, of course I'd want to know! Do you think I'd have liked to come back in five years and find out I had another five year old!" As she'd suspected, he did a little spin and kicked the door.

"I didn't expect you to come back!" She was yelling now, but it felt great. "You're not totally innocent in all of this! You didn't want to stick around for Gina, why would you want to stick around for this one!"

"What? I'd love to stick around for Gina! But I couldn't stay here, and see her and know that nothing could ever happen between you and me!" He was yelling too. Behind them, Piper, Phoebe, Paige and Leo were watching with interest. In the living room, hidden from the rest, Gina was listening too.

_Who knew grown-ups had such interesting conversations. _She thought, her own mind working over time, peicing the words together. Did this mean ... ?

"What is that supposed to mean!" Prue yelled.

"It's supposed to mean I LOVE YOU!" He cried. "And I wish you felt the same!"

"MAYBE I DO! Did you ever think of that? Did you ever think MAYBE I was just trying to protect myself? Did you ever think that you talking about leaving was the same as telling me you didn't CARE? Did you ever think MAYBE I LOVE YOU SO MUCH, I'd rather push you away than lose you?" She wasn't shouting anymore - she was close to tears.

"Prue ..." He murmured, not sure what to say. He'd been torturing himself for the past month with the thought that she didn't give a damn about him. And all the time ...

A single tear rolled down her face as she looked at him. She loved him more that she'd known. And the thought of him leaving her again ...

He wrapped his arms around her in a comforting hug. She buried her face in his neck, trying not to cry harder. He was the only guy who'd ever made her cry ...

"I love you." She whispered.

"I love you." He replied, seeing her sisters and Leo. He sent them a smile, knowing that now, everything was going to be OK. They were finally together.

And nothing would break them apart again.

"Mum?" Gina's voice broke them apart, as she walked out of the living room. "Who _is _that guy?"

"This?" Prue said, turning to face her daughter and brushing her tears away. "This is ... your daddy."

Gina's eyes widened, and confusion passed over her face.

"This guy?" She said, looking unimpressed.

"Yeah, this guy." Prue said. "I swear honey, he's better than he looks." She added in a whisper.

"Hey!"

"C'mere." Prue smiled to her daughter, and Gina walked over. Lifted up by both of her parents, she felt herself being hugged tightly - by her mum _and _her dad.

_About time.

* * *

_

**And that's the end. I'm gonna be sad to stop writing it ... sigh. But I hope you all enjoyed it and you'll continue to read my stories. Thanks to all readers and reviewers.**


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